Get out.
Yeah, you, sitting at home in your Barcalounger watching "The Biggest Loser" or one of the endless "CSI" shows. (Not that there's anything wrong with that).
But don't you feel like you're missing something⢠That there are things going on that don't involve reality shows or Jerry Bruckheimer?
We're here to let you know there are events going on that are infinitely more interesting, especially if you have the urge to hear some ultra-cool music. Now, we're not talking Jon Bon Jovi or Ms. Britney Spears at that place where the Penguins play (and again, nothing wrong with that if you love Jon or Brit). We're not even talking about the notable venues that have become staples in the area -- Mr. Small's Funhouse Theatre in Millvale or The Rex, Diesel and Club Cafe on the South Side. All great venues, with good musicians, some of them famous, appearing every week.
No, think smaller. Go micro. We're talking about venues that -- and we know this is a cliche -- fly under the radar. These aren't the first places you think about when someone says "Let's go hear a band."
These are intimate spaces, small enough that no matter where you sit or stand you'll have a good view. Where up close and personal is a given because there isn't any other option. Where you'll leave feeling like you've seen and heard something special, because you were close enough to feel it as well as hear it.
The first thing you notice is the bone.
It's huge, and it hangs above the entrance to Moondog's in Blawnox like an oversized biscuit for your pooch.
Inside, the next thing you notice is this is a venue unlike any other. After you get by the large, oval-shaped bar on the left and the tables and chairs on the right, you .... look for the stage. If not for the amps and drums and keyboards and guitars, the stage area -- and it's more area than stage -- would look like a space in the corner of the bar.
But this lack of form is the key to Moondog's charm. The musicians are as close as Aunt Betty at the Christmas dinner table. You not only see them, you can feel the music pulsing through you; it's the most visceral, immediate music space in the region.
Owner Ron Esser has hosted the likes of Keb' Mo' and Susan Tedeschi before they became stars. The late blues greats Luther Allison, Junior Wells and Johnny "Clyde" Copeland played there, and local acts including Norman Nardini and Bill Price are regular guests.
Next up: The Nighthawks with Billy Price, 9:30 p.m. Friday.
Details: 412-828-2040.
-- Regis Behe
In the "Seinfeld" episode "The Pony Remark," Kramer talks about his plan to convert his apartment into levels. The Thunderbird Cafe in Lawrenceville seems to have taken this Krameric concept to heart by three, each level providing different amusements and attractions
Start in the middle, where the stage -- smallish but intimate -- sits at the back. A few tables with space in between for maybe 40 souls provides great access to the performers, and the sound is surprisingly clean. A third level is elevated and overlooks the second; patrons can hang out at the bar or sit and watch national acts, such as the Constantines, Luke Doucet, Jolie Holland and Paul Thorn. Sunday is Grateful Dead Night, and Craig King and CBG Connection host an open stage on Mondays.
Downstairs, the first level features an old-fashioned bar usually patronized by regulars, but the vibe is friendly.
Throughout the venue -- on the walls, emblazoned on tables -- there are reproductions of classic blues and soul posters and album covers. You'll feel like a hipster just being there.
Next up: Uncle Scratch's Gospel Revival, with The Whiskey Daredevils, 10 p.m. Friday.
Details: 412-682-0177.
-- Regis Behe
The richest sheik or pasha (and even Donald Trump) would feel comfortable at Your Inner Vagabond , which opened earlier this year in Lawrenceville. Actually, anyone would feel at ease in this fabulously furnished venue that is filled with sofas and pillows and ottomans and ....
Yes, that's right -- sofas and pillows and ottomans, with subtle lighting and artwork adding to the serene ambience. Your Inner Vagabond has the feel of a Bob Hope-Bing Crosby road movie in which the intrepid travelers wander into a lavish harem. You can't help but feel at ease amid all the fabric and Persian rugs, plus the service is fantastic -- they'll bring your tea or coffee right to you in the main room as if you're Middle Eastern royalty.
A good-sized stage sits at an angle in one corner, and the sound is good -- not great, but not terrible. The venue hosts a variety of exotic performers and musicians, from drum circles to belly dancers. It's not a place to get your rocks off, but it's so plush that you'll want to linger long after the music has ended.
Next up: The Improv Project, 8 p.m. Friday.
Details: 412-683-1623.
-- Regis Behe
Blue sits in a suburban strip center far from the Downtown vibe it has.
From great martinis to wonderful food to Tuesday-night sessions featuring some of the area's top female singers, the club doesn't seem like it should be in McCandless.
When the curtains are drawn, it's easy to imagine being Downtown or Shadyside.
Owner Jason Eisenreich kept the Tuesday-night Diva sessions going when he took over the place in February, and he says they are a consistent big night at the restaurant.
They are big enough that he has booked Thursday night gigs for about half of the past six weeks and is looking into doing that more.
If he can sell Tuesday as a night to go out, there's no reason Thursday shouldn't work as well, he says.
Like Tuesday, he wants those nights to be without any kind of cover.
Next up: Lisa Ferraro Christmas show, 8 p.m. Tuesday.
Details: 412-369-9050.
-- Bob Karlovits
Little E's gives Downtown Pittsburgh what it desperately needs: a cozy, Greenwich Village-like room for jazz.
The second-floor site is small, seating a few more than 60 in the main room and the bar just behind it. The bar, by the way, is close enough that sitting there is not much of a problem for hearing the music.
While that size makes the room ultra-intimate, it also suggests bigger-name performers might never make enough money to show up. But it they did, man, what a trip that would be. It might even be worth a pricey ticket.
Owner George Kazas has been working on matters such as developing a dinner menu that is not too much to handle but also varied enough to provide a good night out.
The club has been open since late September and still is trying to establish itself. It is out of the way in terms of location. Even though it's Downtown, it sits atop Mahoney's Restaurant and Lounge, and almost demands a customer know where it is located.
Next up: Saxophonist Robbie Klein, 8 p.m. today; Salsamba, 8 p.m. Friday.
Details: 412-392-2217.
-- Bob Karlovits
Bridgeville's Rhythm House keeps entertainment going in many directions,
From DJ sessions that give the Washington County venue a rousing weekend feel to Sunday-evening jazz outings that feature small groups to big bands, the Rhythm House is fairly busy.
Don't forget those midweek poker sessions and Western dance classes.
Many of the shows or events take place in the large rear area of the club, which leaves the front good for dining.
It has more going on than many places in Pittsburgh. The only problem is getting there. Even though the trip is easy -- just a spin down the Parkway West to Interstate 79 and then on to the Bridgeville exit -- it can seem a trip.
After all, you are going a county away, for goodness sake.
Next up: Dancing Queen, 10 p.m. Friday; Souled Out, 10 p.m. Saturday. Sunday's jazz show, starting at 7 p.m., features the big band of drummer Roger Humphies.
Details: 412-221-5010.
-- Bob Karlovits
Brillobox, a stylish, comfy barroom on the Bloomfield-Lawrenceville border, gets some grief for being hipster central in a town that worships unpretentiousness. But this well-designed, lovingly programmed space has had an undeniably positive impact on Pittsburgh's nightlife and music scenes.
Named in homage to a famous work by Andy Warhol, the Brillobox is a small, effortlessly hip bar/venue that still manages to fit seamlessly into old-school Bloomfield.
It has all you'd expect -- dim lighting, arty decor, cheap beer, lots of good-looking, under-30 types. In an upstairs room, there are dance parties, local bands, and often national indie rock acts like Man Man, Elf Power and The Black Angels.
Brillobox also holds a few surprises -- like a large, interesting food menu, ranging from the Brillobox Bruschetta or Moroccan Roasted Vegetable Stew to a Risotto of the Day.
Sunday night is the popular Starving Artist Vegetarian Dinner, serving healthy belly-filling grub for $5, starting at 6 p.m.
Next up: The Bloodsugars, The Sexes, Whisper Signal, 10 p.m. Friday.
Details: 412-621-4900.
-- Mike Machosky
For those seeking more challenging, adventurous sounds -- and an all-ages venue -- a few local art galleries double as performance spaces. The most prolific gallery space for music is Garfield Artworks, in the slowly developing Penn Avenue Arts District.
It's just a single open room, with white walls adorned only with that month's art exhibit -- sweltering in the summer, drafty in the winter. The sounds reverberating down this otherwise desolate stretch of Penn Avenue range from the crushingly heavy psychedelic metal of Baroness to the mind-bending hypnotic drone of Deerhunter to the "nerdcore" pseudo-hip-hop of MC Frontalot. National acts come through several nights a week -- for many, this is their first show in Pittsburgh. Usually, there are several local opening bands, which is a great low-risk way to take a chance on hearing something new.
Next up: Vinnie Caruna, The Composure, Signal Home, The London, 7 p.m. Saturday; Memory to Matter, For Greater Consciousness, Recinerated, Wizzard Mountain, 8 p.m. Monday.
Details: 412-361-2262.
-- Mike Machosky
Belvedere's isn't just a "dive bar" -- it's the almighty heavyweight champion of dive bars.
It's a place where yinzers and punks, babushkas and hipsters can find common ground over cheap Iron City pounders at the bar.
But it wouldn't necessarily stick out from the rest of Lawrenceville without its massive back room, which has become a fairly regular venue for live music. The vast wooden floor is big enough for a roller derby -- even with ample couches, pool tables and a ping-pong table, it still looks cavernous.
Most weekends, the walls are shaking to the sounds of local punk, metal or indie rock bands, with the occasional touring national act thrown in. Dance nights also work well here.
Next up: Nothing scheduled at the moment.
Details: 412-687-2555.
-- Mike Machosky
